Dry Needling

We know that Dry Needling may not be as familiar to many of you and you probably have a lot of questions about it. Most people’s first question is: What is Dry Needling? Dry Needling is similar to acupuncture in that a needle is used to penetrate the skin to result in a change to the body although the principle behind exact needle placement and treatment methodology differs between disciplines and as Physical Therapists, we take a western medicine approach to the needling after a thorough musculoskeletal exam. With dry needling, your Physical Therapist may try to target an active trigger point, work around an area of injury to stimulate blood flow and promote healing, or to even try to facilitate muscle activation, or quiet an overactive muscle.

Usually, the second question is: Will it hurt? We know many people may be fearful of needles or are used to the pain associated with other needles in the medical field, however, these needles are much thinner than the needles used in blood draws or vaccinations and nothing is being injected or withdrawn. With that being said, the needle insertion itself can vary from feeling like a bee sting to barely anything at all. Some people may experience a brief muscle twitch that can vary in intensity, as well as there can be a temporary deep aching sensation, all of which mostly resolves after the removal of the needle. There may be some soreness in the area the next day especially if there were repetitive muscle twitches but it is typically similar to that of muscle soreness after a workout and will resolve within a day or two. Everyone’s body responds differently to the treatment so you may have a different experience than stated above and if you do have a different response it doesn’t mean the treatment wasn’t effective.

You may also want to know if it is safe and the answer is absolute! All of our Physical Therapists have been trained in the technique and utilize safe practices when implementing the treatment but as with any treatment if you have any concerns or questions, make sure to address them with your Physical Therapist.

Dry Needling can be used in multiple ways to affect symptoms. The needle itself penetrating the skin creates a microlesion which stimulates the body’s natural inflammatory response to stimulate the healing process. The needle will also stimulate vasodilation which is when the blood vessels dilate to allow for increased blood flow which can also stimulate some of the body’s natural healing process. This vasodilation may allow for an active trigger point to release if specifically targeted. The stimulation of the body’s inflammatory response and vasodilation occurs immediately upon needle insertion. Sometimes we may leave the needles in for some time which can help to stimulate a more systemic effect and can affect some of the ways the brain processes a pain response.

Dry Needling can be used for a variety of diagnoses and conditions from muscle strains and tears, ligamentous sprains, muscle spasms, tendonitis, and the list goes on. This is why it is important to have a thorough evaluation before beginning treatment so we can identify impairments that may be limiting you and effectively develop a treatment plan which may include Dry Needling.

As always if you have any questions or if you would like to set up a FREE consultation to evaluate your symptoms and see if Dry Needling may be an appropriate treatment for you, please email us at info@performancesportphysio.com or text/call 727-826-7142.